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Health Complications
Diabetes is a whole-body problem. The disease is marked by too high blood glucose, which affects the many cells fed by the
circulatory system. The cells of the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the nerves
that control its movement are no exception.
People with diabetes have an elevated risk
for a spectrum of GI disorders that can
make life uncomfortable. Identifying the
cause of GI discomfort is the first step
toward getting the right treatment and
finding relief.
Quit Your Bellyaching
How to find relief from diabetes-related gut problems | By Erika Gebel Berg, PhD
Continued on page 34
Movement
According to Jack D. Bragg, DO, associate
professor of clinical medicine at the
University of Missouri, most diabetes-related GI issues stem from a problem with
one thing: motion. The digestive tract is a
finely tuned muscular machine. It pulls and
pushes, expands and contracts, relaxes and
squeezes to carry food from your mouth,
down the esophagus, into the stomach,
and, finally, through 25 feet of nutrient-and water-extracting intestine that ends
in, well, your exit.
